PRELIMS

Language: Ambiguity

*Choose words whose meanings is clear *Order the words in your sentence carefully *Do not overuse pronouns. Example: 1. The Flight was cancelled for few minutes due to maintenance. 2. The Flight was delayed for few minutes due to maintenance

Planning: Before you Begin

1. Identify your audience 2. Know your purpose. Know your material 3. Understand the writing task at hand 4. Organize your thoughts and materials 5. Budget adequate time to write,review, revise and edit.

Steps in the Description of a Process

1. Introduction 2. Brief Description 3. Step-By-Step Description 4. Conclusion

Types of Technical Writing

1. Legal 2. Medical 3. Scientific 4. Mechanical 5. Business 6. Expository

The 5 Basic Techniques in Technical Writing

1. Mechanism Description 2. Process Description 3. Classification Description 4. Partition 5. Definition

Good Technical Writers' Practice

1. Planning 2. Clarity 3. Brevity 4. Word Choice 5. Active Voice 6. Committing to writing as a process

Main Characteristics of Technical Writing

1. Purpose 2. Your knowledge of the topic 3. Audience 4. Criteria for evaluation 5. Statistical and graphic support

Basic Principle of Technical Writing Use Good Grammar

Always remember that your readers will expect technical documents to be written in standard English. Certain grammatical errors can actually cause your reader to misinterpret the information.

Clarity

Always remember to write the technical document in a "layman's tone" so that readers who are not that "techie" are also able to understand what the product is all about. Try cutting down on the use of jargons because this is going to confuse the reader just keep your language and expression simple and meaningful.

Operation

Answer the question, "How does it work?" think of this section as the conclusion to your paper.

Function

Answer the question, "What does it do?" if the object participates in a process, then you may need to write a brief process description as well.

Appearance

Answer the question, "what does it look like?" you may have to use classification to break a complex object up into its various components and describe each sequence.

Clarity: Avoid Jargons

Audience familiarity with the topic determines appropriate use of jargons

Language: Weak vs Strong

Avoid excess words which slow comprehension of the main point. Example 1: The captain made a decision to inform the air traffic control for an emergency Example 2: The captain decided to inform the air traffic control for an emergency landing

Descriptiveness

Be as descriptive in distinguishing the technical product as you can. customers come from a non-technical background and they need to have sufficient details otherwise they will not be able to picture the product correctly.

Business

Business often uses technical writing to explain rules, regulations, and business plans. according to David Murray.

Try to use simple words.

Don't define an unfamiliar term by using more difficult terminology which would further confuse the reader.

In defining a term, avoid using the term itself or any of its relatives

Example: Not this. He threw three balls Good. He threw three pieces of balls.

Brevity: Use Words Efficiently

Example: The tecnam and cessna or any kinds of aircraft are very crucial to what a pilot needs to earn its flying hours. Example 2: Aircrafts and very crucial to what a pilot needs to earn its flying hours.

Language: Needless Complexity

Example: Utilization Functionality Substitute: Use Feature

Language: Needless Words

Fewer words are easier to read and there's less chance your reader will misunderstand you. Example: We will put in place such measures as are necessary to ensure that the staffing needs of the project are adequate resourced to meet essential requirements. Example 2: We will ensure the project is adequately staffed.

Using the Active Voice

Imperative or command sentences, are written in the active voice. active voice is more natural to people when they speak, but technical writers often turn the passive voice when writing technical documents.

Accuracy

One of the essential characteristics of technical writing is maintaining accuracy.

Active Voice: Natural Sound

Read the passage out loud to determine the natural sound. Examaple: " A woman without her man, is nothing." " A woman; without her, man is nothing." Punctuation is powerful.

Science

Scientific technical writing explains theories, hypothesis experiments and their significance. Example: Thesis paper or lab reports are also considered technical writing.

Avoiding Long Sentences

Short sentences are more easier to understand than long sentences. For this reason, if you are asking your readers to perform several actions, begin the step with an active verb.

Traditional technical documentation

Specialized audience such as documentation includes maintenance guides, repair manuals, research papers.

Classification of Technical Writing

Technical writing is useful for any theory, software or hardware that needs an explanation.

Writing Concisely

Technical writing, clarity and brevity is your goal

Clarity: Define the Unfamiliar

Use of () Example: WCC ATC(WCC Aeronautical and Technological College) is an aviation focused institution wherein they train students with excellence and proper character formation.

Your knowledge of the topic

Usually greater than that of the reader.

Conclusion

Walk the reader through one complete cycle, emphasizing how the completion of each stage contributes the final overall effect.

Using Standard Punctuation ( . , ? ! )

Your readers expect standard punctuation when they read your documents. Complicated or "creative punctuation will confuse them.

Step-By-Step Description

a. define the step b. state its purpose (or function within the process) c. providing the necessary context d. include brief mechanism descriptions for any components that may be involved

Technical Documents

can be categorized in three types depending on the writing.

Uses of Technical Writing

commonly used to create brochures,pamphlets, instruction manuals, reports used for specific and various marketing and promotional materials.

Audience

differing technical backgrounds.

Mechanism Description

explains the arrangement and shape of an object in space

Process Description

explains the arrangement of a sequence in chronological order. a. What is it? b. What its function? c. Where and when does it take place? d. Who or what performs it? e. How does it work? f. What are its principal steps?

Medical

explains thew instructions of software and hardware used to run a hospital, according to Wayne English.

End-user assistance documents

helps the user to understand a software if hardware product.

Classification

involves grouping things together (on the basis of similarities)

Engineering

involves instructions for how to build machines or use tools. may also incorporate design calculations.

Description of a Process

is a series of actions, and fundamentally the description of a process is the description of action. the action may need be either one of two types.

Technical Writing

is about writing about scientific subjects and various technical subjects associated with science and technology. - characterized by certain formal elements such as scientific and technical vocabulary - maintenance of impartiality and objectivity - high concentration of certain complex (different parts)

What is the Goal of Technical Writing?

is to enable readers to use a technology or understand a process or concept. technical writing uses an objective, not a subjective tone.

Correctness

it requires you that you use correct grammar and sentence structure. Always write the key features in the form of headings, sub-headings or bullet points as they will make the manual easy for the customers.

Active Voice: Strong Verbs

more straightforward and is stronger than PASSIVE VOICE Example 1: The cart are pushed by the flight attendants. Example 2: The flight attendant pushes the cart.

legal

refers to all legal documents and the fine print in binding contracts

Introduction

should be concise paragraph that supplies a good sentence definition.

Brief Description

should be stand alone, and it should not refer to details, facts, or terms that aren't explained within the summary.

Criteria for evaluation

simple organization of ideas in a format that meets the needs of busy readers.

Purpose

something done with an organization

STEPS ON HOW TO WRITE A MECHANISM DESCRIPTION PAPER

state the purpose and scope of your document.

Marketing Communication

such as product catalogs, brochures advertisements.

Partition

the act of dividing things into their component parts; very similar to classification, and an inevitable part of mechanism description and process description.

Forms of Technical Writing

the most widely read written communication, likely surpassed only by advertising and some popular literature. This kind of writing, is intended for general public , is only one aspect of this field. Example: Educational Books are example of technical writing

Statistical and graphic support

used to explain conditions and to present alternative courses of action.